Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-08-24

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Death toll reaches 16 in Peloponnese wildfires

[02] Papandreou cuts short Serres rally

[01] Death toll reaches 16 in Peloponnese wildfires

Earlier, a fire brigade spokesman said that no less than 129 wildfires had erupted over 24 hours, between Thursday and Friday afternoon, with the worst place centred in the Areopolis district on the border between Laconia and Messinia prefectures, in the extreme south of mainland Greece. Most of the provincial roadways in the Peloponnese were blocked off, as flames were fanned by winds of up to nine on the beaufort scale, a weather parameter that also made flights by fire-fighting aircraft difficult.

Earlier in the day, the charred bodies of five people were recovered, believed to be guests or staff of a Mani-area hotel. No names were released.

Of other wildfires in Greece, fire brigade officials said one in the industrial district of Elefsina, west of the greater Athens area, posed a threat to fuel tanks in the area.

The worst of the wildfires, on the slopes of Mt. Taygetus, raged towards Kalamata (and not Sparta as reported previously), causing the evacuation of several villages and a children's summer camp in the area.

Another blaze was ravaging Mt. Parnona, whereas a wildfire in the Megalopoli district, near the central Peloponnese city of Tripolis, also caused the evacuation of several villages.

According to reports, land lines and mobile phones are down throughout Laconia prefecture, whereas a state of emergency has been declared in Messinia and Laconia prefectures.

Caption: A wildfire ravages Mt. Taygetus on Friday, Aug. 24, 2007. ANA-MPA / N. KOSTARIS.

[02] Papandreou cuts short Serres rally

Papandreou also called for a minute's silence in memory of the people who lost their lives in the Taygetus region and in the prefecture of Ilia, as well as of those who have died in other parts of the country.

"Today, we are experiencing a tragic day. It is a day of mourning for the lives that were lost. For the forests that are burning. For this beautiful Greek environment that is being destroyed. For the economy that is being levelled in the regions of the fires. We are together tonight. Side by side. We are watching with surprise, indignation and profound sorrow the scenes of a biblical disaster. We are jointly suffering tonight together with our fellow countrymen who are in a state of desperation, insecurity and fear. Under other circumstances, we would like it to be a night of celebration. We would lay before you our visions and our commitments. Our plan for Greece that we desire, with a strong voice and a just society for all. We would present our plan for Serres. We would say that there is another path. Today, our message must be first a message of humanity and solidarity for our fellow countrymen. We are all shocked with what we are seeing and hearing. We are devastated. Today, I would like to send with you a message of solidarity from the depths pf our hearts. I will soon be with them," Papandreou stressed during his brief address.

Caption: Main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou cuts short his address at Serres rally on Friday, August 24, 2007. ANA-MPA/KATERINA MAVRONA.

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